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HybridZ

Engine Autopsy


TABrinn

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I Just got my car back from paint and have started to really dig into it to see what all needs done. A$$ backwards, I know! I just popped off the valve cover to see how things looked and there were metal "hairs" everywhere!!! I don't know if one of the PO's rebuilt the engine of not, or how many miles are on it since. I'm thinking I should tear it all down but really don't want to pull the engine if at all possible. Can you rebuild a 240Z engine with it still in the car, assuming the block doesn't require any machine work?

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  • 3 weeks later...

I fished around with a magnet and the shavings are magnetic. The best I can figure is that the cam towers are misaligned, binding the cam up, or something is screwy with the rockers/ lashpads. For peace of mind though I want to rebuild the whole thing. Does anyone know of a good machine shop in south Texas? There aren't any here in Corpus Christi that have any experience with these engines. San Antonio maybe?

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Shemp? I think if it were your cam towers interfering with the rotation of the cam that you would have aluminum shavings, not magnetic steel ones. The softer metal of the cam towers would sooner disentigrate than the ultra hardened steel of the camshaft. I rebuilt my L-28 on the garage floor very carefully. More than likely the engine is junk if there are floaty metal bits all over. Did it run before this? Did you drive it? If not I'd break out the tools and begin the teardown to determine the cause of the problem.

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When cam towers are misaligned, they tend to seize the cam bearings, and then the camshaft snaps...

 

Now you guys see the importance of epoxy-gluing a cow magnet at the front and back of the head, as well as in the oil sump, and hose-clamping several around the periphery of the oil filter. Especially for original break-in!

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Yes they are curly. Like a bunch of magnetic pubes! If the cam was only slightly misaligned wouldn't it eat up the bearings first? The bearings are magnetic right?

 

Cow magnet???

 

The engine was mostly together when I bought the car but needed obvious work to even start. Missing fuel lines, battery, fuel pump uninstalled, throttle linkage for the trip webers needed hooked up, etc. Needless to say I knew then, as I do now, that a full rebuild was a definate possibility.

Does anyone know of a reputable machine shop in the south Texas area???

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When cam towers are misaligned, they tend to seize the cam bearings, and then the camshaft snaps...

 

Now you guys see the importance of epoxy-gluing a cow magnet at the front and back of the head, as well as in the oil sump, and hose-clamping several around the periphery of the oil filter. Especially for original break-in!

 

http://www.filtermag.com/

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